Hinge with laterally spaced barrels



0d. 17, 19 1.. R. DICKINSON ETAL 3,346,910

HINGE WITH LATERALLY SPACED BARRELS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 14, 1966 d O F V 1 w l l llwbhi .MI Ill w lllll 41,11. F W R M i a 7 M u I l I I I I |..l m w uw fi JW n f\ WWWW M WM I I MH 1 I INVENTORS.

ATTORNEYS.

0d. 17, E L F2. DICKINSON ETAL 9 3 HINGE WITH LATERALLY SPACED BARRELS Filed Jan. 14, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. 440m ,Q. DICK/N50 Get 17, 1967 DICKINSQN ETAL 3,346,910

HINGE WITH LATERALLY SPACED BARRELS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 14, 1966 EWW, 9

W% m A 5 awwawfiwm f I I 70 fflwirw LAJ Ll United States Patent Ofitice 3,346,910 Patented Oct. 17, 1967 3 346 910 HINGE WITH LATEltAljLY SPACED BARRELS Lloyd R. Dickinson and James E. Higginson, Scranton, Pa., assignors to McKinney Manufacturing Company, Scranton, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Jan. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 525,814 10 Claims. (Cl. 16163) This invention relates to hinges, and more particularly to the type in which a pair of hinge leaves turn on parallel axes in a common pivot housing. This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending patent application, Ser. No. 504,314, filed Oct. 24, 1965, and now abandoned.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide such a hinge which can be quickly assembled, which is simple in construction, and in which the leaves and pivot housing are held together by thrust bearings.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- FIG. 1 is a plan view of our hinge;

FIG. 2 is a side view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a face view of the hinge with the leaves swung apart;

FIG. 4 is a back view;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section taken on the line V-V of FIG. 3, but with one leaf at right angles to the other;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, showing a modification;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view and central section of another embodiment;

. FIGS. 9 and 10 are reduced side views of arrangements of the hinges;

FIG. 11 is a face view of a further embodiment of the invention; I FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section taken onthe line XIIXII of FIG. 11, but with one hinge leaf at right angles to the other;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary face view of still another hinge; and

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary cross section taken on the line XIV-XIV of FIG. 13.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5 of the drawings, two laterally spaced hinge leaves 1 are pivotally connected on parallel axes to a common pivot housing in the form of a vertical bar 2. One side ofthe bar is provided with a pair of laterally spaced channels 3 extending throughout the length of the bar and separated by a portion thereof that forms a central rib 4. The inner edge of each leaf is provided with an integral barrel 5, which has a cylindrical surface. Preferably, the barrel is a solid cylinder. The channels in the pivot bar are shaped to fit the barrels and prevent them from being withdrawn laterally from the channels. Thus, each channel has a cylindrical wall that extends a little more than 180 degrees around a barrel, so that the barrel has to be inserted in the channel from one end of the bar.

The thickness and angle of the leaf where it joins the barrel, and the depth of the channel, determine how far apart the two leaves can be swung. In most cases it is desirable to be able to swing each of the leaves 90- degrees so that they will be in a common plane when swung apart as far as they will go. One of the leaves can be attached to a door frame and the other to a door, or both leaves can be attached to folding doors. In the second case the pivot bar 2 will float.

It is a feature of this invention that the hinge barrels 5 are held against lengthwise movement in the bar channels by means 'of thrust bearings mounted in the latter. Accordingly, each barrel is provided with at least one cutout portion that forms a gap 7 in it, as shown in FIG. 3.

two different The gaps in the two barrels preferably are opposite each other. Disposed in these gaps inside the bar channels are thrust bearings 8. These bearings fit in the channels like the barrels, and therefore have to be inserted in the barrel gaps before the barrels are slid endwise into the channels. Preferably, the bearings are cylindrical and have the same diameter as the barrels and substantially the same length as the gaps.

In order for the hearings to support the hinge leaves or the pivot bar, depending on how the hinge is mounted, the bearings are rigidly attached to the bar. This can be accomplished in different ways, such as by providing the bar rib 4 with an opening 9 (FIGS. 3 and 5) between the hearings to receive a drive plug 10 that is wider than the rib, and providing the bearings with lateral recesses or notches 11 into which the sides of the plug project. The plug is designed to fit tightly in the rib opening, so that when the plug is driven into place it will stay there and prevent the bearings from moving lengthwise in the channels. Consequently, the hinge leaves not only are mounted on thrust bearings, but also they are locked in the pivot bar by means of the bearings.

Instead of using a drive plug for holding the bearings in place, a self-tapping screw plug 13 with a wrench socket 14 therein, as shown in FIG. 6, can be screwed into a hole 15 in the central rib of a channeled pivot bar 16 and into notches 17 in the sides of bearings 18 mounted in gaps in the barrels of hinge leaves 19.

The hinge shown in FIG. 7 is designed to prevent the hinge leaves 21 from pressing against the outer side walls of the channels 22 in the pivot bar 23 with so much force that they might tend to open the channels wider and spring the barrels 24 out of the channels. Accordingly, the inner wall of each channel opposite its open side is provided with a transversely arcuate recess 25 extending lengthwise thereof to provide circumferentially spaced longitudinal shoulders 26 in the channel. The barrel in each channel is provided, opposite its connection with the hinge leaf, with a longitudinally extending stop or rib 27 that engages the outer shoulder in the channel when the leaf is perpendicular to the bar and engages the inner shoulder when the leaf is swung out to its outermost position close to or against the outer wall of the channel. Engagement of the rib and inner shoulder will reduce or eliminate the pressure of the hinge leaf against the bar beside the channel. The hinge barrels contain thrust bearings like those shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

In the further embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 8, each cylindrical barrel 30 is provided with a longitudinal slot 31 having a cylindrical side wall fitting part way around a cylindrical bead 32. The bead forms the enlarged inner edge portion of a longitudinal web 33 that extends inwardly from the outer wall of the channel 34 in pivot bar 35, part way across the. channel. The web extends the length of the channel. The dimensions of the barrel and web are such that the hinge leaf can be swung from a position perpendicular to the bar outward de grees. Here again the barrels, to which the hinge leaves 36 are joined, must be inserted from one end of the pivot bar. Also, each barrel is provided with a gap for receiving a thrust bearing 37, and the bearing is provided with a longitudinal slot 38 that permits it to fit completely around the web as shown. The two hearings in the pivot bar may be held in place by a plug 39 as previously described. The bearings are placed in the leaf gaps before the leaves are inserted in the bar channels.

In FIG. 9 a semi-continuous mortise hinge is shown. It will be seen that several vertically spaced pairs of hinge leaves41 are mounted in a common pivot bar 42 that can be made any desired length by extruding it. The hinge leaves are locked in the desired locations by the thrust bearings 43 on which they are mounted. The bearings are mounted in the pivotbar in the manner explained above.

A long, continuous, non-mortise hinge is shown in FIG. 10. In this case the hinge leaves 45 and the channeled pivot bar 46 are the same length, but due to their extreme length several vertically spaced pairs of thrust bearings 47 are mounted in the bar channels by providing the hinge barrels with vertically spaced gaps to receive the thrust bearings; The hinge leaves, as well as the pivot bar, can be extruded if desired.

FIGURES 11 to 14 show still further modifications of the invention, which are similar to the form shown in FIG. 8, but thebearings are tied together to prevent the pivot housing from being bent in case a hinge leaf is swung against an outer edge of the housing with undue force. ,Thus, in FIGS. 11 and 12 the pivot housing or bar 50 has a pair of laterally spaced arcuate channels 51 therein separated by a central longitudinal rib 52. Extending inwardly part way across each channel from its outer side wall is a longitudinal Web 53, the inner edge of which is enlarged to form a cylindrical bead 54. The bead is concentric with the surrounding side wall of the channel. The barrel 56 of each hinge leaf 57 is provided with a longitudinal slot 58 that receives one of the beads and has a cylindrical side wall fitting part way around the head. The outer surface of the barrel engages the wall of the channel. Accordingly, the barrels must be inserted in the channels from one end of the pivot bar and are rotatable in the channels.

Each hinge barrel is provided with a gap 60, as before, that receives a thrust bearing 61 provided with a longitudinal slot 62 that fits in a channel 51 and around the bead .54 therein. However, instead of using two independent thrust bearings for the two hinge barrels, the two bearings are tied together, preferably integrally, by a cross piece 63 that extends across the rib between the bearings and is joined to the portions of the bearings outside of the channels. This tie or cross piece prevents the bearings from being spread apart and therefore prevents the pivot bar from being bent lengthwise along the backs of the channels in case a hinge, leaf is swung too forcefully against the outer edge of the bar. In other words, the bearing cross piece also ties the two sides of the pivot bar together. To hold the bearings in place lengthwise of the bar, the cross piece may be provided with a threaded opening 64, in which a set, screw 65 is disposed. The inner end of the screw canbe pressed tightly against the rib or even enter an opening in the rib.

In the last form of theinvention, shown in FIGS. 13 and .14, the two thrust bearings 67in gaps 68 in the hinge barrels 69 again are tied together by a cross piece 70, but they are locked onto the pivot bar 71 in a different manner. Instead of using a set screw at the center of the cross piece, the end portions of the latter are providedwith parallel openings 72 aligned with similar openings 73 and 74 in the webs and bearings; Plugs 75 are driven into these openings to hold the thrust bearings in place.

We claim:

1.,A hinge comprising a pivot bar provided in one sidewith a pair of parallel channels extending length: wise thereof and spaced apart by a central longitudinal rib, a pair of hinge leaves disposed side by side, a barrel extending along one edge of each leaf and integral therewith, the barrels being disposed in said channels and having cylindrical surfaces, the channels being shaped to fit said barrels and extend around the major portion thereof to embrace and hold them therein, the barrels being rotatable in the channels to permit the leaves to swing away from each other from a substantially parallel position, the barrels having apair of opposed gaps therein, a separable thrust bearing disposed in each gap, and means engaging the pivot bar and locking the bearings in fixed position in the channels.

2. A hinge according to claim 1, in which said beard ings are cylindrical with the same diameter as said barrels and fill said gaps.

3. A hinge according to claim 1, in which said bearinglocking means is attached to said rib between the bearings and engages them.

4. A hinge according to claim 1, in which said bearinglocking means is a plug received in an opening in said rib and in notches in the sides of the bearings.

5. A hinge according to claim 3, in which said plug is a self-tapping screw plug screwed into place.

6. A hinge according to claim 1, in which the section of thewall of each channel opposite its open side is recessed to provide circumferentially spaced shoulders extending lengthwise of the channel, and each barrel is provided with a laterally projecting longitudinal stop in a position to engage one of said shoulders when the ,adjoining leaf is substantially perpendicular to said bar and to engage the other shoulder when the leaf is swung outward a predetermined distance.

7. A hinge according to claim 1, in which said bar is provided with a longitudinal web extending part way across each channel from the outer side wall thereof, the inner edge of each web being enlarged to form a cylindricalbead, each of said barrels being provided with a longitudinal slot receiving one of said beads and having a cylindrical side wall extending part way around the bead, and said bearings being provided with longitudinal slots fitting the bearings around said webs and heads.

8. A hinge according to claim 1, in which said bar is provided with a longitudinal web extending part way across each channel from the outer side wall thereof, the inner edge of each web being enlarged toform a cylindrical bead, each of said barrels being provided with a longitudinal slot receiving one of said beads and having a cylindrical side wall extending part way around the bead said bearings having longitudinal slots with said beads fitting therein, and means extending across said rib and joined to both bearings to tie them together.

9. A hinge according to claim 1, in which said bar is provided with a longitudinal web extending part way across each channel from the outer side wall thereof, the inner edge of each web being enlarged to form a cylindrical bead, each of said barrels being provided with a longitudinal slot receiving one of said beads and having a cylindrical side wall extending part way around the bead, said bearings having longitudinal slots with said beads fitting therein, and means extending across said rib and joined to both hearings to tie them together, said tying means being provided with a central threaded opening therethrough perpendicular to said rib, and said bearinglocking means being a set screw in said opening engaging the rib.

10. A hinge according to claim 1, in which said bar is provided with a longitudinal web extending part way across each channel from the outer side wall thereof, the inner edge of each web being enlarged to form a cylindrical bead, each of said barrels being provided,

with a longitudinal slot receiving one of said beads and having a cylindrical side wall extending part Way around the head, said bearings :having longitudinal slots with said beads fitting therein, and means extending across said rib and joined to both hearings to tie them together, each bearing an adjoining web being provided with aligned openings therein, and said bearing-locking means being plugs mounted in said openings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1918 Flick et a1. 16-163 2/1966 Hirashiki 16-163 

1. A HINGE COMPRISING A PIVOT BAR PROVIDED IN ONE SIDE WITH A PAIR OF PARALLEL CHANNELS EXTENDING LENGTHWISE THEREOF AND SPACED APART BY A CENTRAL LONGITUDINAL RIB, A PAIR OF HINGE LEAVES DISPOSED SIDE BY SIDE, A BARREL EXTENDING ALONG ONE EDGE OF EACH LEAF AND INTEGRAL THEREWITH, THE BARRELS BEING DISPOSED IN SAID CHANNELS AND HAVING CYLINDRICAL SURFACES, THE CHANNELS BEING SHAPED TO FIT SAID BARRELS AND EXTEND AROUND THE MAJOR PORTION THEREOF TO EMBRACE AND HOLD THEM THEREIN, THE BARRELS BEING ROTATABLE IN THE CHANNELS TO PERMIT THE LEAVES TO SWING AWAY FROM EACH OTHER FROM A SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL POSITION, THE BARRELS HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSED GAPS THEREIN, A SEPARABLE THRUST BEARING DISPOSED IN EACH GAP, AND MEANS ENGAGING THE PIVOT BAR AND LOCKING THE BEARINGS IN FIXED POSITION IN THE CHANNELS. 